


orange tulips

by sunshinsou



Category: 19天 - Old先 | 19 Days - Old Xian
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop & Tattoo Parlor, Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, Bad Flirting, Banter, Flowers, Getting Together, M/M, Slow Burn, Tattoos, pissed Mo Guanshan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:14:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27228673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunshinsou/pseuds/sunshinsou
Summary: Mo Guan Shan takes over his mother's flower shop. It's not what he's been dreaming of, but he doesn't hate it either. The more time he spends working there, the more he actually enjoys it. He's got a lot more freedom, being self-employed. Things he wouldn't have been able to do, if he got a different job. Things such as; insulting a certain customer, denying him all his requests, and getting tattooed by him during one of his weaker moments.Good thing, there is a tattoo parlor, that just opened up, right across the street. And as luck would have it, its owner is not only incredibly handsome, but also a gigantic dick, who seems a bit too interested in buying a certain type of orange flowers... more or less regularly.[ Rated for swearing.]
Relationships: He Tian & Mo Guanshan (19 Days), He Tian/Mo Guanshan (19 Days)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 213





	orange tulips

**Author's Note:**

> Heya! This is my first time writing a tianshan fic. Actually, it's only the second fic I've ever written, so I'd appreciate any type of feedback! I also didn't have anyone to beta read this, so please feel free to call out any mistakes or typos!  
> Other than that, please enjoy!
> 
> PS; this was written for my dear friend @/rqeize on instagram, who is an amazing editor!!!
> 
>   
> Edit: Today chapter 342 came out, and I don't support what is happening with Tianshan in any way. He tian is clearly going too far and I want to note that this fic was written before any of that. I don't stand for or support this chapter, and I'm seriously thinking about dropping the series as a whole, especially with how so many people in the fandom romanticize what happened.

It all started a couple weeks ago, when that tattoo parlor across the street opened up. Tian’s tattoos. Jeez. It was one of the stupidest names Guan Shan had ever read, but according to his mother it was ‘catchy’.

He couldn’t deny being at least a little interested in the place though. Guan Shan loved tattoos – and piercings for that matter – and while he never really did more than getting his lobes pierced, he always planned to, someday.

There were two reasons why he hadn’t so far; the first one being his future career. 

Until about four months ago, he had been planning to finish college quickly and then start working in marketing. He probably could have found a workplace immediately, considering he had already interned a couple times during high school, so he didn’t want to risk being denied employment for looking like a delinquent.

Now the situation had changed though. His mother had fallen ill, and he was the one who needed to look after her flower shop.  
She had been a florist all her life, and the place was important to her. It was something she had invested a lot of time in, something she had worked hard for, and she didn’t want to let it go to waste, or just sell it off.

In all honesty, it wasn’t something he wanted to do. He didn’t like the idea of owning a shop. There were so many risks that came with being self-employed, and there was quite a work load.   
Besides, he’s witnessed first-hand how much of a struggle those bad months can be – the ones when people are less willing to buy, when the economy isn’t doing all that well. Still, he does what he can to help and always will. This place was his mother’s dream, and he’d do his best to keep it going. And so far, it wasn’t that bad anyway.

During his time working there, his mother hung around him a lot more as well, which he enjoyed. The two of them had always had a pretty good relationship. They loved and trusted each other, which was more than most kids could say about their parents, so Guan Shan was grateful.

The second reason for the non-existent body modifications was a simpler one;

There hadn’t been any tattoo artists anywhere in this city. At least none who didn’t expect insane amounts of money for their mediocre work. So of course, he decided to check this one out online. And well, he got lucky. The prices were affordable and the work looked really, really good.

He didn’t make a secret out of liking what he saw, but he never actually got to meet the artist or really planned to, until his mother dragged him over there to get an appointment. Luckily, she decided not to wait for him, so she left right after walking him inside. Actually – fuck that. It was probably the worst thing she could have done. Maybe if she had stayed, Guan Shan would have actually had a normal interaction with the shop owner.

“Oh, hello,” a man with messy, dark hair and way too broad shoulders greeted him. He was wearing black gloves, which fit the aesthetic of his black tank top and jeans perfectly. A cocky smirk graced his lips as he returned from one of the back rooms. By then, Guan Shan was staring, for sure. It was impossible not to notice his tattooed arms, pierced eyebrow and, fuck– was this dude wearing eyeliner? 

“What can I help you with?”

Yeah. Guan Shan was fucked. He didn’t expect a goddamn model to show up just like that. And the worst part? The guy clearly knew he was hot and didn’t bother hiding it.

“Hah?” was all he managed, earning a confused, but definitely amused look from the other, who was now right next to the counter, standing way too close to him.

“You here for a tattoo… or did you just come to stare at my handsome face?” he grinned arrogantly, and Guan Shan had to really, really check himself, so he wouldn’t barf right then and there. What a fucking dick.

He spun around without thinking, almost threw out the door while pushing it open, and then left with heavy footsteps.

“Nice to meet you too! I’m He Tian!” 

That stupidly handsome asshole seriously didn’t know when to stop, did he?

* * *

  
So, that was how he had embarrassed himself before even meeting their across-the-street-neighbor properly. He Tian. Of course that was his name. Why else would he give his tattoo parlor such a shitty name?  
  
Admittedly, the time when he explained to his mother why he’d never be stepping foot inside that place ever again, wasn’t the only time he had thought about its owner. 

He kept telling himself it was because of how annoying he was. He was probably one of those men who flirted with every living, breathing creature they met. Maybe he was even the kind that didn’t care about consent or preferences. He was sure He Tian could get away with it. He had the looks and the charisma for it. Unlike Guan Shan himself, he could probably wrap anything and anyone around his little finger.

Not that Guan Shan really wanted to be that type of person, or that he usually judged others like this without knowing them, without even having made proper conversation at least once. Still, something about the black-haired stranger was so enraging to him, it made it hard not to. It also made him hard to forget though.

* * *

  
It had been about a week since then, when he heard the little bell by the door ring at a fairly unusual time, indicating there was a late customer.

Getting customers without previously made reservations or requests wasn’t unusual during the day, but right before it was time to close up? That was definitely a little weird. He didn’t think all that much about it though. After all, it could have been anyone. Maybe someone spontaneously buying flowers for their significant other after work, or they could have forgotten someone’s birthday, or maybe they just liked coming when it was empty.

Endless possibilities led him to just continue cleaning the counter as he had been doing before he heard the door. He didn’t look up either, not even sure he’d see the customer before they left again.

There weren’t many flowers left at this point. The day had been busy, and he had already put most of the ones that were still fine away – his mother wanted to make sure they got enough light and space, which was why she usually kept the ones she liked and thought would sell well, in the back room.

To his surprise, the steps seemed to be coming closer, until he actually felt someone standing right in front of him. They were leaning on the counter, like he didn’t just scrub it clean a second ago. It made him boil internally, but he didn’t plan to mention it. Well, not until he finally saw who it was.

“Hands off. I just cleaned,” he said sternly, watching the other back away a bit. The guy, He Tian – of course Guan Shan couldn’t have forgotten his name, but he wanted to pretend –, had the audacity to chuckle anyway. Damn. Why did he have to look good even while being a disrespectful dick?

“Sorry, sorry,” he said, but he didn’t sound like it at all. “You’re the guy who came in a week ago or so, right? Never really figured out what that was. Why didn’t you stay a bit longer? I’m sure we would have gotten along really well,” he said with that stupid, ugly – but actually really attractive – grin.

“No, I don’t think so,” Guan Shan replied, and he sort of hoped that the look he threw at him afterwards was enough to tell him to get out of here immediately, if that was all.

Apparently, the guy didn’t get the memo though, because a second later he was leaning on the counter again, looking so smug, it was painful. “So, not even my pretty face could convince you to play nice, huh? I’m hurt, little Mo.”

“Little Mo?” he asked before he could stop himself. “What kind of stupid nickname is that supposed to be?” he hissed.

The man laughed. “I’m He Tian by the way. Doubt you heard it with how quickly you ran away last time. I get it though. I’d also be overwhelmed if I saw myself looking like that.” Ignoring all types of rudeness towards him had to be some kind of talent only assholes like He Tian possessed. An exasperating talent.

When Guan Shan didn’t reply, he saw that as an invite to just keep talking, it seemed, because as hard as he tried to ignore him, he could still hear his voice.  
“So, that is your name, right? Mo? That’s what the shop’s called, but I heard it’s your mother’s, so the little makes sense too, you know?”

Apart from being a little impressed at first, by how much thought he had put into a dumb nickname like that, Guan Shan was mostly just crept out. “What the fuck? Are you some kinda stalker?” he asked, reaching out to finally shove He Tian off the counter.

This time, he actually backed away. He put his hands up, then nodded. “’Kay, I get it. You’re not used to all the attention, but how about we grab a drink some day? On me, of course.”

“How about you shut the hell up and get out of here? What the fuck?” Guan Shan grumbled, and He Tian laughed. How did he not get what No meant? Apparently, Guan Shan had been right in his assumptions about He Tian. God, the guy was more like a child. He’ll probably become even more annoying when he doesn’t get what he wants. And for some reason, he seemed to want Guan Shan right now.

This was a nightmare, especially because it wasn’t easy to stay strong around someone that tall and good-looking. Ugh, did he emit some kind of poison that made his victims incapable of thinking straight?

“Alright, little Mo. I’ll leave you to clean for now, but don’t you dare think I won’t be coming back to try again. Promise,” he stated confidently, winking on his way out.

“Don’t. Fuck off,” Guan Shan replied when the guy was walking out, but all he got was another laugh. Shit.

* * *

  
It seemed that He Tian wasn’t one to back out of a promise, because that same week, Guan Shan had to deal with the exact same thing happening again. 

It was late when he heard the bell by the door. Just like last time, he didn’t pay much attention to whoever walked in, until he felt them standing right next to him. The difference was, he was sweeping the floor instead of cleaning the counter. Of course, that didn’t stop He Tian from being in his way again.

“You know, little Mo, you should actually look up when someone walks in. What if it’s some type of robber next time and you don’t notice until it’s too late?” He Tian’s annoyingly pleasant voice spewed.

“Who the fuck robs a flower shop? And stop with the stupid nickname,” he frowned. Ignoring him didn’t seem like an option that would work. Besides, he’d be screwed if his mother found out he ignored a potential customer, even if it was someone as bothersome as He Tian. Okay, she probably wouldn’t be happy if she saw the way they talk to each other either, but he decided to not think about it.

“Well, I wouldn’t know! I’m not a thief and I can’t-“

“You sure? You could definitely pass for one,” Guan Shan interrupted, gaining a laugh from the other. That had absolutely not been his goal, but he sort of wanted to hear it again if he was honest. The sound was warm and loud, but not as obnoxious as everything else about him.

“What I was trying to say… You still haven’t told me your full name, so there’s not that much of an option in that regard,” he explained, like some fucking smartass.

“Well, you could just leave and never come back,” Guan Shan countered.  
Again, a chuckle from He Tian. Guan Shan really never thought he was funny, but maybe he was wrong, considering how entertained that guy seemed.

“Not an option either. I’m actually here to buy flowers,” he stated proudly.

Guan Shan immediately looked up at him, trying to figure out if he was for real. Their eyes met and the curiosity and determination he found in He Tian’s gaze seemed genuine. It made a shiver run down Guan Shan’s spine for some reason.

“You’re late for that. I’m going to close up in, like, a minute. Besides, the good ones are sold out by the end of the week,” he sighed, trying not to sound as mean as he would want to be.

“Oh,” He Tian replied, and for just a second Guan Shan could’ve sworn he sounded defeated. Then, before it had even fully gone away, his smile was back. “You’ll make an exception for me, right? Show me what you got?” He looked at him, expression turning expectant, which Guan Shan fucking hated. “I mean, I can’t really come any other time, unless I spend my break coming here to look for flowers, so could you keep some for me? Ones you’d like?”

“No.”

“Do you ever say yes to anything?”

“Not to idiots, who come here to waste my time.”

“I told you, I need flowers!”

“For what?” Guan Shan sighed as soon as he said it, realizing he was giving in again. Why couldn’t he just shut up and have him leave?

“My shop. I need some kind of decorations. It’s still fairly new and I’ve had customers tell me it looks bland and boring,” He Tian explained.

The redhead furrowed his brows. ‘Like you,’ he didn’t comment this time. Instead, he blurted out his next best thought. “So you’re getting flowers? What are you, stupid?”

Another chuckle, a step closer, and a irrationally hot grin. “Maybe.”

It was disgusting that something so pointless and irksome was actually attractive. Guan Shan really hated himself right now. Luckily, he usually thought with his head instead of his dick, so his defense mechanism kicked in immediately, like a reflex.

He took a step back, frowned, and shrugged. “Fine, whatever. What kind of flowers do you want? I’m not waiting for you or putting them aside though. Get them while we’re open.”

He Tian looked surprisingly pleased with the answer. His posture relaxed a bit – fuck, those were some amazing shoulders – and he nodded as he backed away again, almost like he was trying to be less threatening now that he was satisfied. “Alright. I can make reservations though, if I want something specific, right?”

Guan Shan nodded.

“’Kay, little Mo. Any chance I’ll get lucky enough to get your number for that?”

“Tch. Check the website. Call that number,” Guan Shan replied, rolling his eyes. There it was again. He was hitting on him, or trying to at least. But no, he wasn’t about to just give into that as well. He didn’t need to prove exactly the point He Tian was trying to make; he could get anyone. Not him though. He wasn’t playing his games, no matter how enticing his looks were. 

And to his surprise, He Tian left without another word.

* * *

  
The next week or so passed with a weird fear; What would that idiot do next? Not once during all those worried scenarios playing in his head did it occur to him, that He Tian might just give up and not come back. That was, until it was the next Saturday and he was cleaning the shop.

There was no bell, no footsteps, no nothing really. He actually felt a little weird with no one there. It was strange.

* * *

  
No, of course Guan Shan hadn’t spent all his spare time thinking about why He Tian wasn’t showing up anymore. He wasn’t even surprised. The guy probably had no patience, hated not getting what he wanted, and got feral when he got rejected. It was probably the first time too. So obviously, he wouldn’t be showing up again, and Guan Shan didn’t mind at all. In fact, he was really, really happy about it.

Except for, there was that one part of his brain that had thrown away all logic, and disagreed. Like that wasn’t bad enough in itself, it took over way too often.

He found himself checking the door every day around closing time, asking some of his co-workers about He Tian, going by the tattoo parlor during his breaks. What the fuck? Now who was the creepy stalker?

He was about to go insane, really. Maybe he should just go over there, fuck the guy, and then finally leave and get over him.

* * *

  
Somehow, he held out for another couple days. He was sure he’d be fine. He was basically entirely over it already.

So over it, that he actually froze when he saw He Tian from the window as he crossed the street, walked right toward the door, and into the flower shop. He was too shocked to even chuckle when He Tian bumped into a pot and almost tripped. So he did come back, huh? Now why was Guan Shan so relieved by that?

“Missed me?” the black-haired man asked, and as soon as he broke out into a smile that was way bigger than usual, Guan Shan noticed something. A new piercing. It was small, black, and sat right between his lips and his teeth. He’d seen it before on one of his friends, so he knew it was most likely a smiley piercing. Still, he never really got the point, considering you barely ever saw it. Or well, maybe that would just be him. He wasn’t found smiling very often after all.

“Who’re you again?” Guan Shan replied before his staring got too obvious. He tried to just keep working, cut the flowers and sort them, but then he heard He Tian’s laugh again, and dammit, he wished that guy would just keep his mouth shut and stay away from him. Then again, the sound made his heart beat faster again, and a sense of comfort overcame him.

“I see, I see, Mo Guan Shan,” He Tian replied cockily, like he already knew it would earn him the attention he had been denied so far. Sadly enough, he was right. 

Guan Shan’s eyes shifted towards him immediately and he stopped working. “The fuck?” he asked, sounding rather irritated. Of course he was confused as well, but the anger kind of took over.

“So, what kind of flowers should I get?” Sounding as innocent as ever, He Tian started looking around. He touched a couple flowers here and there, and he looked so damn good standing next to the begonias, it was unfair. 

Guan Shan wasn’t sure what part of this exact situation enraged him most, but he knew he wouldn’t just stand there and take it. This was his shop, and there was no way some artist from across the street would have this kind of power over him here.

“Seriously, He Tian, what the fuck do you want?” he asks, and the anger is visible now. His knuckles were turning white from his grip on the scissors he was working with, and his voice came out more loudly than he intended.

This time, He Tian seemed to realize there was an actual problem, but his smile didn’t falter.

“I just want to get to know you, little Mo. You’ve got a scary face – fuck, it’s really attractive.” He chuckled some, but his tone changed after that.  
“When I look at you, I see the way you act tough. But look around. You care about this shit so much. It’s admirable. And…now don’t take this the wrong way, I don’t know you that well, but you seem honest and real. You’d probably punch me in the face before you’d let me put shitty art on you or whatever. I don’t know. Just appreciate that, I guess. It’s kind of a fucking drag hanging around people who hate me, but pretend not to all the time, you know?” 

The honesty in that statement and his expression had Guan Shan taking a step back, but once again, the other seemed unfazed. Sure, there might be vulnerability there, but he seems rather proud of his words, like he gained something from them. Or maybe he was just proud of making Guan Shan confused and absolutely lost for words.

After a while, He Tian spoke again. “You don’t have to like me, you know? But you could go out with me.” There was another moment of silence, before He Tian added, “If you still don’t want to, I won’t bother you again,” he smiled.

“No,” Guan Shan replied, knowing that it was the fakest smile he’d seen on the other’s face so far. It made him wonder if there was actually some truth to what he was saying, something more than his arrogance and conceitedness. It wasn’t enough to convince him to give in though.

“Alright, so, I’ll be taking these,” He Tian replied, like he hadn’t just been rejected. In fact, he looked more invested in the plants now, than he had in their conversation.

Guan Shan nodded, put aside the flowers he was working on, and then went on to grab the tulips He Tian had been referring to. He didn’t say anything else when he cut them a bit, packed them up, and eventually handed them over, and neither did the artist. It was almost strange, considering He Tian usually filled every second of every time they had been around each other with some stupid nonsense.

This time, he walked away without any of that. “Have a great day, Mo Guan Shan.” 

So far, Guan Shan had been sure he wouldn’t lose to a man like that. Watching him walk away though, he wasn’t sure what it was that he felt. All he knew was, that his chest was heavy, and the worry he had felt originally, changed into some type of dread. There was no relief. The journey wasn’t over. Instead, a new crossroad appeared, and he realized he was lost.

* * *

  
When another week passed after that, and He Tian actually didn’t show up again, Guan Shan found himself conflicted. He was stuck, forced to choose between two paths he didn’t want to go down. He shouldn’t be surprised, or shocked, but he was. He Tian might have kept his first promise, so it made sense for him to stay away now, but that didn’t change that it bothered Guan Shan. 

The reason for that was, that maybe – just maybe – Guan Shan was regretting the choice he made that day. He could have told him to just shut up, or ask again, give some implausible excuse, that would have guaranteed for him to come back. Instead, he lost his chance, and he was mad at himself for even being bothered by that in the first place.

He Tian’s words stuck with him though. They made him curious. Who were these people around him? Why would He Tian not just try to change if everyone hated him so much? Why did he think Guan Shan would be the one to feel sorry for him?

Maybe it was the way outsiders recognized each other.

Guan Shan had never been particularly popular anywhere he went. He didn’t like school, not because academics were tough for him, but because the environment was.   
The fact that your reputation would be what everyone judged you on, and therefore would define your life, was honestly a nightmare. He’d never had it good with that father of his, so it was hard to really do anything back then.

Being hated by everyone, yeah, Guan Shan knew that feeling, but he worked to avoid it. Why would someone want his pity? Besides, He Tian didn’t actually seem like the type of guy to struggle with that sort of thing. He seemed like the perfect actor, the guy who would tell everyone what they needed to hear. Was that what was happening to him as well? Was the artist playing him without him even realizing?

All of these thoughts seemed to be an endless cycle of indecisiveness. One day, Guan Shan wanted He Tian to come back and ask him again, the next time even their shops seemed too close for comfort.

Still, throughout all this time, that was all it was. Thoughts, wishes, hopes. There was no appearance or a single word from the guy. Honestly, it was sort of strange how he just disappeared like that at times.

* * *

  
That dragged on for a couple more days, before a tall, heavily tattooed man entered the shop again. He wasn’t looking as idiotic as usually though. There wasn’t even a smile on his face.

“I’ll take those tulips and a single red rose,” he stated simply. The lack of any type of half-witted comment or flirting made Guan Shan feel a bit uneasy, but of course, he didn’t mention it. His mind was busy enough trying to comprehend the fact that He Tian was back. Something seemed really wrong though, which bugged him more than it should have.

Instead of prying, he prepared what he was asked for. It took him a while, and the silence was mind-boggling. It drove him to new lengths, things he didn’t expect from himself. As soon as he was done, he wrote a little note. Afterwards, he added it to the tulips.

He checked the money then, and was about to give He Tian his change, when he realized the guy had already walked away.

Damn, was he actually upset? It wasn’t because of him, right? If so, Guan Shan might have fucked up even more with what he wrote.

He couldn’t figure it out. No matter how little he knew about this man, this whole interaction seemed incredibly out of character for him. And even though he’d never admit it, it worried him like crazy. He wasn’t sure about anything anymore. Was this what he had to expect from him now? Horribly awkward interactions that left both of them unhappy?

* * *

  
Apparently not. Two days later, He Tian was back with his stupid smiley piercing showing like there was no tomorrow. Seriously, if he continued like that, his smile would end up blinding Guan Shan.

  
“Hey, little Mo,” he heard from the front of the shop. The voice was cheerier than the last time he had heard it. “Another bouquet of those,” He Tian added when he finally came into his field of vision.

He looked better this time as well. Not that he could ever actually look ugly. That guy was pretty much perfect, which made him even more unlikable. The exhaustion and sadness were gone though, or at least they didn’t show as drastically anymore.

As asked, Guan Shan did the exact same thing as last time. No complaints, no nothing… from either of them actually.

He Tian just stood there, watching him carefully with everything he did, until he was done and it was time to pay. Just like last time, he gave Guan Shan way too much money and tried walking away without the change.

“Do I look like a charity case to you?” Guan Shan asked before he could get too far.

And there it was. The warm, boisterous laugh was back. It made him feel hot around the face, dizzy even, and he hated it. Still, he couldn’t take his eyes off the other, and for some reason, he desperately wanted to hear it again.

“No, you certainly do not. I just feel like I have to pay somehow. You know, for bothering you even though I said I wouldn’t anymore,” he stated, but he didn’t sound apologetic or regretful at all. He didn’t look like it either, because he was grinning.

“I wasn’t actually-”

“Bothered? Yeah, I know. Next time you write me a love note, add your number, little Mo,” he said happily, and with that he was out of the shop.

* * *

  
“I literally told him his smile was ugly before, Mom! He still came back and paid me extra! Told me to write more love notes! I could kick him in the shin and he’d thank me, come on!” was how Guan Shan was trying to explain to his mother why he had just insulted a customer right as he was about to pay.

So, maybe being around He Tian and his mother at the same time wasn’t the best idea. She seemed to be thinking he was still someone who didn’t get along with a single person he met.

And well, maybe she was right. He didn’t really have any friends, and he definitely didn’t get along with He Tian. Still, there was something different between the two of them. It was some unspoken thing. 

He Tian came to the shop and flirted. Guan Shan was rude. He Tian laughed and bought flowers. Guan Shan told him to fuck off and take his damn change. He Tian hurried off. Repeat. It was easy, even a little fun.

His mother didn’t want to hear it though, so next time He Tian came in when she was around, he got another note, telling him to stop coming in when he saw she was there, and come back some other time instead.

And just like that, he actually did.

* * *

  
The next couple times he came around weren’t all that spectacular. He bought the same orange tulips ever time. He came in every other day with the same cocky smile on his lips, commented on a few things here and there, but stayed mostly respectful, and then left after tipping him the same amount of money every time.

It wasn’t that bad, and soon enough it was an interaction that Guan Shan started looking forward to. Every once in a while, he thought back to when he rejected He Tian, wondering if the guy would still be interested. That always ended in a spiral of thoughts and worries for him. Was he actually interested in a handsome, shady, arrogant asshole with a feeling of entitlement, that had to come from some sort of superiority complex? Seriously? It couldn’t be.

It always led to the same conclusion though. He figured he wasn’t as opposed to it anymore, but he definitely wouldn’t end up going trying to make something happen. He was sure he could just ignore whatever longing there was, just like he had until now.

* * *

  
Then, one day, when He Tian walked in and asked for the flowers, Guan Shan decided to change their rhythm a little.

“Why do you keep buying these? Every two days as well. How shitty do you treat them for them to die so easily?” Guan Shan asked as he prepared the new bouquet. “I almost feel bad giving them to you, knowing you’ll just treat them wrong.”

“Oh, they don’t die that easily. I keep the older ones in my place after I buy new ones usually,” the tattoo artist explained, like it was the most normal thing.

“Hah? Why?” Guan Shan asked almost immediately. He could have sworn he saw He Tian’s face twist a bit, but it happened too quickly for him to be actually sure.

“What’s it to you? You get your money, don’t you? I like the damn flowers.”

By then, the tone was different again. There was a sudden tension between them. Not the good kind.

He didn’t have to say anything before He Tian dropped the money on the counter, and he didn’t even get a chance to pick it up before he had left. Sensitive, Guan Shan thought, but really, he ended up wondering what could have gotten him so upset. Was it his question? Seriously, what was it with that guy?

One day, he acts all friendly and happy, and the next he’s angry, upset, or just disappears for no apparent reason. It was seriously infuriating.

* * *

  
Originally, Guan Shan had figured the guy would be back. Really, why wouldn’t he be? He had come back before, and whatever happened between them couldn’t have been that upsetting. But then days passed, three, four, five. On the sixth, he decided to do something stupid.

He had promised himself he wouldn’t run after He Tian. He still hadn’t given him his number, and occasionally still complained about the nickname. Even though He Tian told him he couldn’t call him by his actual name until he confirmed it was Mo Guan Shan, he resisted. He had made it this far, without dropping his façade. But maybe, it was actually time now. Even the most patient people needed some kind of reassurance every once in a while, right?

In moments like these, it was easy for him to think of He Tian as more than just the dick he was when he first met him. There wasn’t any real vulnerability or hurt he had ever noticed, except for that one time, but even that was enough to make him believe there was some kind of trust between them. It made him want to figure out what was going on, figure the guy out. Who was He Tian really?

So, he found himself in front of the tattoo parlor on a Friday night. He wasn’t sure if it was still open, but he knew for a fact that it was rare for the artist not to be there, so he decided to come after closing up his own shop after all.

Right when he was about to ring the bell, he was regretting all the choices that had led him here though. What was he even doing? Was this worth it? They weren’t even friends. As far as he knew, He Tian could be bullshitting his way through whatever this was, deceiving him.

His mother’s words also came to mind though. After that one time he came around while she was there, she had told him, that she thought they would get along well, and when she witnessed their interaction, she was shocked. She thought He Tian was kind, fun, loving. It seemed like the exact opposite of what Guan Shan saw of him, but maybe she had a point. Maybe, he wasn’t a heartless dick.

So, he did it. He rang the bell, and the door opened before he knew it.

“Little Mo?” A tired voice asked.

“Shit. Did I wake you? I can leave. Wasn’t important anyway.” Guan Shan was turning around, ready to leave.

He was stopped by a hand around his wrist. He cringed a bit at the touch, but he followed inside willingly when he felt He Tian pull.

The door shut behind him and he was left in darkness, until his eyes adjusted a little. “He Tian?” he asked quietly. By then, a light came on and he saw him sitting on a small sofa. The place looked messy, not very welcoming, and there were flowers everywhere. Some of them still looked somewhat good, while others were already very, very dead.

“Brought these, but I guess you didn’t come buy them for a reason, huh?” Guan Shan said, kind of just awkwardly looking around as he stood in the middle of the room with bright red tulips in one hand. He didn’t really know where to go and what to do. He kind of forgot why he came here in the first place. Was he worried? Maybe. He couldn’t tell anymore. He just wanted to leave again.

“Hm?” was all he got from He Tian at first. The guy looked at him like he hadn’t even noticed the flowers, but once he got up that blinding smile came back – the genuine one, not the stupid smirk.

Guan Shan blushed when their eyes met. How could he not? The problem was, that He Tian noticed.

“Hm, so you like my ugly smile after all?” he started, chuckling. Guan Shan couldn’t tell for sure if it was fake or not, though it seemed to be. “You know, I always liked the orange ones most ‘cause they reminded me of you,” he admitted next, and Guan Shan’s face felt even hotter.

“Just leave them on the table. What can I help you with anyway? Finally come to get a tattoo, or is it the handsome face after all?” he grinned, though it wasn’t real.

By now, after seeing him so often, watching him, it was mostly easy to figure out when He Tian was just putting on a mask. This was one of those moments.

“Shut up,” Guan Shan replied with a frown. And apparently, that was the right choice, because he earned another real smile from him. It was somewhat strange how quickly He Tian’s emotions seemed to change, how easy it was to get him to show what he really felt.

“Thanks,” He Tian said. It sounded nice. The word sounded so weirdly comforting coming out of his mouth. It made him think again... what was this? Why was it happening? Why was he actually here? Why would He Tian ever pretend to be some douchebag, when he was actually not entirely unlikeable like this?

“So, why didn’t you come by? Kinda need the money, you know.”

It was smiling now. Nonstop. Almost like Guan Shan had just singlehandedly boosted his mood. And well, maybe he had. He wasn’t sure.

“Tough week. Long story,” He Tian replied.

“Well, I don’t have time to listen to your bullshit, so get a therapist or something.”

“Nah, I think I’ll be fine.”

Guan Shan laughed bitterly. He couldn’t help himself. “Fuck, you’re an idiot. You wouldn’t even be fine if you were a little less annoying.”

“Mean comments hurt, little Mo. You should be nicer to me, or I might ask you out on another date. Actually, fuck that, I’ll kiss you if you’re ever mean to me again,” He Tian chuckled.

“Yeah, I didn’t take you for one to care about consent,” Guan Shan replied, rolling his eyes. Of course, he knew exactly what he was doing, but maybe this wasn’t so bad. Maybe this was something to enjoy rather than to hate.

He Tian was up then, back to his cocky grin. “Little Mo…” he whispered as he approached, and soon enough they were standing right next to each other. Guan Shan would only have to turn about ninety degrees to face He Tian. “I’m glad you came,” he added.

“That makes one of us.”

And before he knew it, lips were on his. They were soft, so surprisingly soft. The kiss was slow as well, nothing like what he had expected. Whatever thoughts he could have had in that moment seemed to be swallowed by He Tian’s mouth, the way he moves it against Guan Shan’s.  
  
It’s almost weird how this kiss is nothing like either of them. They’re stubborn, loud, arrogant, a sea that would swallow a boat with no conscience. Here though, they’re calm, a river meeting a lake. They collide, like they were meant to be. It’s the most breathtaking feeling Guan Shan has ever known.

The moment drags out, neither of them wanting to lose the feeling even for a second. There was still nothing between them if they pulled away now, no promises, no changes. That’s what Guan Shan thought, until he felt his body move by himself. One of his hands brushed He Tian’s face, before both of them found their way to his hips, underneath his shirt. It was the most natural motion to him, and apparently, He Tian was feeling the same way, because the distance between them was made to nothing.

The moment continued for what felt like ever. It was longer than any type of first kiss should be, but then again, this probably wasn’t how others usually came to kiss. Guan Shan definitely wasn’t going to mention it though, because it felt just as special as everything else they’ve had so far.

Obviously, this kiss didn’t answer any of the many questions he’s had. It didn’t explain why He Tian disappeared every once in a while, why he acted this way, but it did help with the most important one. It proved to him, that this was real.

He wasn’t just being made fun of, or used. He could tell, because He Tian’s urgency, the need to get closer, and most importantly that expression he wore when they finally pulled away for air, were real.

“Calm down with the smiling. You look like a clown,” Guan Shan said as he let go again. He was feeling warm, no, he was hot. His cheeks were burning, just like every other part of his body that He Tian had touched. He was sure his cheeks were redder than the tulips he had brought with him.

By the way He Tian broke out into laughter, he figured it was impossible to miss how embarrassed he was.

“Guess you shouldn’t have kissed me back if you didn’t wat to see it, little Mo,”  
  
“Fine, it won’t happen again.” As soon as the words left his mouth, he broke his promise, when both of them leaned in again.

Just like the first time, the contact sent shivers down his spine. But to his surprise, He Tian pulled away only a second or two after their lips met.

His silence was scary then. Guan Shan’s thoughts wandered for a moment. Had he been wrong after all? Maybe He Tian was just making a fool of him?

“The fuck? If you keep staring, I’ll just fucking go right now,” he said, more angrily than he intended to. He attempted to free himself of the black-haired guy’s grip, but he ended up being pulled into a hug instead.

He Tian chuckled, but it didn’t sound like it usually did when he laughed about a joke. Instead, it sounded like a little kid would when it got exactly what it wished for on Christmas. It was a mesmerizing sound, and it stopped Guan Shan from trying to move away again.

“Just glad you’re still here, little Mo,” he whispered.

“I just told you I was leaving.”

“But you didn’t mean it.”

When there was no response, He Tian spoke again. “You asked why. I told you once before but… I chose you because there’s something about you I admire. You’re not fake, or sneaky like everyone else..”

Silence, again. This time he was the one who should be saying something.  
“Fuck you,” he eventually managed, but he knew this was real. He knew He Tian was serious, and he knew that he wass just as serious about the tattoo artist.

* * *

**Bonus;**

“So, you still didn’t tell me what the meaning behind this is,” Guan Shan heard He Tian calling from the other room. It made him roll his eyes, and he didn’t bother replying until the guy came back.

He opened his mouth, but was momentarily thrown off by what was happening. God, this scene was all too familiar. 

He Tian, wearing a black tank top, black jeans and black plastic gloves, walking towards him. The grin that never left his lips was as prominent as ever. The only thing missing, was the eyeliner. 

According to He Tian, he had only worn it that one time, because ‘he wanted to experiment’, so Guan Shan hadn’t been lucky enough to see it again since. He figured He Tian wanted him to beg him to put it back on, but Guan Shan wasn’t that desperate. He already had enough to look at and dream about without any more additions.

“You know, sometimes I worry you just like me for my money bu–”

“You don’t even need to finish that sentence. It’s true,” Guan Shan interrupted. “And the meaning is ‘fuck you, He Tian.’ I figured that much was obvious.”

He Tian laughed, and by now it was one of Guan Shan’s favorite sounds. He’s heard it plenty already, but it was never enough.

“What I was going to say was, that I see the way you look at me and then I just know, I know you trust me. Fuck, it’s amazing,” He Tian explained, as he motioned for Guan Shan to follow him.

Once they settled down in the back room, the redhead freed his upper arm and glanced over at He Tian. “Right, and it’s not by any chance the fact that I’m letting your sorry ass put a tattoo on me?” 

“Hey, do I have to call your mom, for you to be at least a little nice to me?” He Tian replied, and there was nothing else to do for Guan Shan, other than roll his eyes again.

He got comfortable, and then let He Tian do whatever he needed to.

The hours that followed were pretty miserable – not only because of the pain, but because the tattoo artist wouldn’t shut up. He kept teasing him, had to laugh every few minutes, and actually dared stopping the session twice just to force a kiss on Guan Shan’s lips.

As soon as he saw the finished product in the mirror though, he knew it had been worth it.

“It’s got no meaning by the way. You didn’t think I’d waste something meaningful on you, did you?” Guan Shan explained, and He Tian’s face twisted into an unreadable expression.

Before he knew it, he was pressed up against the wall, He Tian looking at him like he was some kind of prey. “Watch out,” he threatened, “Or I might put ‘I love my mom and my boyfriend’ on you while you sleep over.” And before Guan Shan could reply, they were kissing again.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
